By Noreen Jazul
Around two million babies are expected to be born in the country next year, the Philippine Commission on Population (Popcom) said Thursday.
Pixabay / MANILA BULLETIN
In an interview with DZMM radio, Popcom Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez III said they is expecting a 214,000 increase in yearly live births in the Philippines due to the pandemic, based on the projection of the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the United Nations Population Fund.
POPCOM said the yearly live births in the Philippines have been pegged at 1.7 million since 2018.
Due to the lockdown, POPCOM said around 600,000 women will not receive family planning supplies.
“Dahil sa lockdon mahirap magpunta sa health center, maaring iyong health center kulang sa staff (Because of the lockdown, many will not be able to go to the health center, and it’s also possible that the health centers lack staff members),” Perez said.
Perez said POPCOM has already asked local government units to do house-to-house deliveries of family planning supplies, including a three-month supply of birth control pills.
POPCOM also said teenage pregnancies will likewise increase with continued lockdown.
“Madadagdagan din ‘yan sa palagay namin ng 5,000 o higit pa (It will increase by about 5,000 or more),” Perez said.